Wiltshire Council awarded £169,000 from Active Travel England to help encourage more walking and cycling

Wiltshire Council has been awarded £169,000 from Active Travel England (ATE) to support local active travel initiatives that will help more people walk, wheel, and cycle for everyday journeys across the county.

The funding was initially granted to the council in summer 2025, but the project designs needed to be approved by ATE before the council could proceed. This has now been approved, so the projects can move forward, and the council can spend the funding.

The main part of the funding comprises £140,000 to support the construction of Wiltshire School Streets pilot projects, which aim to improve safety, reduce congestion and encourage more active travel on the school run. The project initially looks at six Wiltshire schools in five areas, with the potential for more schools to take part, depending on the success of the pilot. The council recently held a consultation on its proposed School Streets, and it is now reviewing the responses and considering the best way forward for each of the proposed pilot areas.

The remainder of the funding, £29,000, will be used to progress the design of a Park Wall to Lower Road shared‑use path in Quidhampton, an important missing link on the Wilton-Salisbury active travel corridor

The project will provide a shared‑use path between Lower Road, Quidhampton, and the junction of the A3094 Netherhampton Road and the A36 Wilton Road (Park Wall junction) that meets the Department for Transport’s cycle infrastructure design, known as LTN 1/20.

The scheme forms part of the Wilton to Salisbury city centre primary route, which was identified in the Salisbury Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).

It was prioritised for short‑term delivery because it connects Salisbury with Wilton and provides a safer alternative to the A3094, which currently has no dedicated cycling facilities. The route also links with National Cycle Network Route 24, offering further onward connections while avoiding the busy A36 road.

The ATE award will fund the detailed design, allowing an accurate cost estimate to be developed and to support future bids for construction funding.

Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “This funding from Active Travel England allows us to continue improving the infrastructure that helps residents choose to walk, wheel and cycle more often.

“The School Streets pilot programme and the Quidhampton shared‑use path will help to provide safer, more accessible routes for children, families and commuters.

“These projects support our wider goals to promote safer active travel options, improve public health, reduce traffic congestion and cut carbon emissions, as set out in Our Wiltshire Plan.”

For more information about active travel in Wiltshire, visit: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/highways-new-active-travel-schemes